From correspondents in Uttar Pradesh, India, 09:30 PM IST

The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a campaign for implementation of rooftop rainwater harvesting system in houses and buildings, an official said Friday.

'As the groundwater level is depleting, we have been directed to implement rainwater harvesting system in the houses at the earliest,' M.P. Mishra, secretary of the Lucknow Development Authority, told IANS.

A special team to ensure rooftop harvesting system in houses and buildings will soon be constituted by the LDA, he added.

Following the government's directive, rainwater harvesting system has been made mandatory in every house having an area over 300 square metres, an official said.

House owners, who fail to provide rainwater harvesting system, will be penalised heavily during the drive, the official added.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)